An island of tranquility

Do you want to enjoy peace?

The only populated island of the so-called Chinijo archipelago, which also consists of Alegranza, Roque del Este and Roque del Oste, is a true natural paradise. A place where roads do not exist, only dirt roads, and to get around is either by jeep, walking or cycling. If you like the beach, you should definitely enjoy the peace, the beaches and the views of this unique place in the world.

To get to La Graciosa you will have to go first to the village of Órzola, in the north of Lanzarote. There you can take a ferry to cross, leaving every thirty minutes (if you are going to spend the day, be careful with the return of the last one). Our recommendation; spend at least one night there. It is not the same to spend the day thinking about the ferry back than to sleep and wake up in the peace of La Graciosa.

What to do on the island of La Graciosa?

• Jeep excursions. As soon as you arrive at the port, you will see that there are several jeeps waiting to take you to the apartment you have booked or if you want to hire an excursion. They have them of different lengths and stops, choose the one you want. There is also the possibility that they take you to the beach you want to spend the day. When you get tired, you call them and they come to pick you up. Keep in mind that, especially in high season, it is more than likely that in this mode you will have to share the vehicle, which will be jumping around due to the nature of the terrain. It’s fun and the kids love it.
• Bicycle rental, an activity for the whole family. If you like cycling in La Graciosa you will enjoy its dirt roads. Is it suitable for all physical conditions? almost. There are some unevenness in the terrain, but if you are not completely pathentario or suffer any serious injury, should not be a problem.
  Our advice; dedicate the day to cycling, but also bring food, water and swimsuit, because this way you can go making stops for sun and bath that will make the route more enjoyable.
  If you need help to rent a bike or want to solve it before arriving to La Graciosa, do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to lend you a hand.
• Watch the sunset on the beach next to the village. A real haven of peace and a spectacle for the senses that can be reached on foot five minutes from Caleta de Sebo.

Where to eat?

Casa Chano.

A small restaurant with a homely look, without unnecessary ornaments, where you will find locals having lunch or dinner. Fish of the day, squid, octopus… almost any option you choose is a good choice and the price is not bad at all.

El Veril.

An informal place to eat some rations or dishes with your feet stuck in the sand of the beach of Caleta de Sebo. With this indication it is impossible not to find it. You can eat something from the menu (croquettes, octopus, etc) or accompany the waiter inside and he will show you the fresh fish of the day in a fridge so you can choose the one you like the most. It has a few low tables to have a drink after eating and is a very nice place to relax.

Los Girasoles.

A quality restaurant that if you want to go we recommend that you either go early or book a table, because it is usually full especially at dinner time. Everything is good, but we love the rice dishes they serve, accompanied by a good white wine from Lanzarote.

Enjoy an idyllic place

A unique enclave on the island to enjoy the wonderful Canary temperature.

The oldest tourist center of the island, has a huge and varied accommodation offer, some of the most beautiful beaches of Lanzarote and a leisure offer for all tastes. The fact of being an urban center that is protected from the wind by its orientation and its orography, make Puerto del Carmen a unique enclave on the island to enjoy the wonderful Canarian temperature during any time of the year. Stay in one of its typical apartments, let the sun bathe you on its beaches and enjoy live music while you dine, you are in Puerto del Carmen!

What can we do in Puerto del Carmen?

Enjoy its beautiful beaches all year round, among which are:

• Playa Grande; an extensive urban beach with sun loungers for rent and very crowded at any time of the year.
• Playa Chica; a true natural spectacle of crystalline waters, usually frequented more by locals than by tourists. In the dock right next to it, most of the diving schools in the area practice their dives for the spectacular richness of the seabed that the area offers to the senses. If you go on the weekend be attentive to what time you arrive, because you may not find a place to leave your towel. If you can, take a snorkel and goggles to observe the bottom.
• Playa de los pocillos; the most frequented by people staying in the area of Matagorda. With a horseshoe shape, it gives the impression of being wider than long. Important to take into account the tides, since when it is very high, the sandy area is significantly reduced.
• Experiment with water sports: scuba diving, parasailing, jet skiing, deep sea fishing… or sailboat or yacht trips to look for dolphins at sunset. The offer is wide and varied.
• Enjoy its nightlife; from its many bars and restaurants for all tastes to its pubs and nightclubs. Especially recommended are those in the Varadero area (Heinneken, San Miguel, Sky…) or some on the seafront such as Routa 66 or the American Indian café if you want to listen to live music.

Where to eat?

Wines +

Address: C.C. Playa Blanca, Calle Timanfaya, s/n, 35510 Puerto del Carmen, Las Palmas
Phone: 928 51 69 59

This friendly restaurant, run by a welcoming family, will seduce you with its typically Spanish dishes and portions. Here you will not find many lost tourists, but people who come exclusively for lunch or dinner at Vinos +. As you may have already deduced from the name, the wine list is spectacular and the number of wines served by the glass is wide and varied. They also have a store in the adjoining premises where you can buy many of the products and wines served in the restaurant. Reservations are important, especially in the evenings because it fills up in no time.

La Carmencita del Puerto

Address: CC Maritimo, Av. de las Playas, s/n, 35510 Puerto del Carmen, Las Palmas
Telephone: 928 51 23 18

Small restaurant of tapas and raciones, it is run by the owners themselves; a super nice couple from Madrid. He cooks, she attends the tables. All quality products, well made and reasonably priced. Be careful because they are only open in the afternoon/evening and since there are very few tables it is important to reserve.

The bull

Address: LZ-40, 35518 Tías, Las Palmas
Phone: 928 51 06 42

With easy access and parking, the restaurant El Toro, at the entrance of Puerto del Carmen, is a reference of the gastronomy of this town. Even with a long tradition of high quality grilled meats, El Toro has recently incorporated to its ranks a chef of reputed trajectory in the Canarian hospitality industry who has also brought depth and variety to the menu. A place where it is practically impossible to go wrong, with adjusted prices and where we recommend reserving a table, especially if you go at night. If you go with children, ask about the weekend entertainment.

Lanzarote and its people

On Sundays in Villa Teguisa you can enjoy a very touristic flea market.

It takes place every Sunday of the year in the village of Teguise, former capital of the island and a beautiful place regardless of this event. It starts at 10:00 and ends at 14:00 and there are special buses from the main tourist spots of the island. If you go by car, you will find semi-private parking at the entrance of the town, since on market days you can not enter by car until it ends. What can you find? From the classic purchases you would make at any street market in the world, to local Canarian handicrafts, perfumes and works of art. If you are not much into flea markets, you can visit the museum of piracy, located in an old castle and from which you have stunning views of the entire north of the island.

Extra ball: with the end of the flea market, the tourists disappear. That’s when the market exhibitors start their party and the locals start arriving, so throughout Sunday afternoon the atmosphere is festive in the village and it is not difficult to find small concerts in the bars. Let yourself go.

For wine lovers

A unique landscape in the world

The area where vines are grown in Lanzarote, is an absolutely Martian landscape. Between volcanoes with black sand, you can see hundreds of holes dug, and in the center of them the planted vineyards. This is so that they are protected from the wind that destroys everything in Lanzarote and also so that they can more easily access with their roots to the less superficial nutrients of the soil. The result is a unique landscape in the world that you should not miss. We recommend: stops and tastings in the most beautiful wineries of Lanzarote; El Grifo, Rubicon or La Geria. Try of course the white wines of Malvasia grape, which are special and avoid red wines as much as possible.

A visit to Timanafaya is a must.

Do you want to eat chicken volcano?

The only national park in Spain where you will not see a single tree, nor anything that looks green. In times of high tourist influx you can get to form queues of up to an hour to access the park, so we will always recommend that you visit early (opens at 10:00) or late (closes at 17:00). Once inside, park your car and take the explanatory tour in park buses. You will pass through places where it would seem unthinkable that a bus could fit. Once the tour is over, a demonstration of geothermal and ground temperature that usually leave you open-mouthed. We finish with a chicken to the volcano in the restaurant.

Unforgettable landscapes

A unique place in terms of landscape and photography.

In this picturesque enclave sea salt is still produced as it was done in the past. The system of salt terraces and the different effects of refraction of the sun on them, makes this place a unique landscape and photographic point, especially at sunset, when the tones become reddish and violet. From the top you can take good pictures. If you go down with the car you can access not only to the salt flats, but also to the janubio beach; a beach of black volcanic sand as you have probably never seen another like it in your life. However, if you want to enjoy the beach as such, choose a day without wind, because on the north coast of the island it always hits very hard. Extra: if you happen to be at lunchtime and you like rice, do not hesitate to eat at the Mirador de las Salinas, a restaurant famous for this dish and with beautiful views of the salt flats. We recommend to reserve a table or go early to find a seat.

Highlights in Lanzarote

Lanzarote is the site of a series of very different events

Winerun.

Once a year, usually in June, a race and hike is held in the area of La Geria, of incomparable beauty. Running or walking among volcanoes, on black sand and next to vineyards is a unique experience. In the race there are two modalities: 12 or 24km. The 12 km hike has four stops along the way to taste Lanzarote wines, included with the registration fee. The tour ends in the village of Uga, where there is a tapas fair and concerts. A mixture of sport, nature and fun, it is an activity as famous as it is recommendable.
More information at: https://www.lanzarotewinerun.com/es/

Liquid Sounds.

A series of concerts that take place during the months of May and June in the wineries of Lanzarote, where in addition to the music you can taste the wine of the new vintage. The program culminates with an evening-long festival with stages set up in the middle of La Geria. If you are a music lover you are sure to love it.
More information at: http://sonidosliquidos.com/

Ironman.

During the month of May, there is a weekend in which the island of Lanzarote stops almost completely, and that is the celebration of the Ironman, a physical test of a very high demand to which participants from all over the world attend. Recognized as one of the most complex races in the world in this discipline due to the temperatures that can be reached and the gusts of wind that can make it extremely difficult, the Lanzarote Ironman is worth watching. The race consists of nothing more and nothing less than swimming 3.8 km in the open sea first, then cycling 180 km around the island and finishing with a marathon, i.e. a 42 km race. It begins and ends in Puerto del Carmen and is a spectacle worth seeing. Competitors prepare all year long.
If you are in the right place to see the last stage run, don’t hesitate to cheer them on as you watch them go by. Every little bit helps!
More information at: https://www.ironman.com/im-lanzarote

Carnival.

From the end of February and during the whole month of March the carnival takes place in Lanzarote, starting in Arrecife, and continuing every weekend with the carnivals of the different municipalities. Batucadas, murgas, the most varied costumes and lots and lots of fun. If you decide to visit the island during these dates, don’t hesitate to pack a costume in your suitcase, you’re sure to make the most of it.